Copyright © 2017 Nicole MacDonald
Cover copyright © 2016 Nicole MacDonald
Cover art copyright © 2016 Jenn DePaola
The Art of Jenn DePaola
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without prior written permission of the author.
First Edition: March 2010
The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
MacDonald, Nicole, 1982-
The Arrival
a novel / by Nicole MacDonald. – 4th ed.
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Map of Gar’Nyse Part 1
Map of Gar’Nyse Part 2
Table of Contents
Map of Gar’nyse
Map of Gar’nyse 2
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty One
Chapter Twenty Two
Chapter Twenty Three
Chapter Twenty Four
Chapter Twenty Five
Chapter Twenty Six
Chapter Twenty Seven
Chapter Twenty Eight
Chapter Twenty Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty One
Chapter Thirty Two
Chapter Thirty Three
Chapter Thirty Four
Chapter Thirty Five
Chapter Thirty Six
Glossary
Sample chapter of Awakening
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About the Author
Chapter One
SMACK!
I hit the padded rubber mat hard enough for the air to rush from my lungs. With a grunt of effort I twisted my hips, grappling with Nathan as he worked on getting me into a shoulder lock. The loose fit of my gi—the belted kimono jacket and wide leg pants everyone in class wore—allowed him an easy hold on my arm but he made the mistake of overextending his leg. With a hard kick and swipe I flipped him, using his bent elbow to my advantage. I didn’t expect him to just go with the roll and inwardly cursed when we tumbled right over, back to the starting position. Breathing hard, sweat dripping from his brow to the mat around my head, he grinned down at me.
'Awww, is little Kitty Cat stuck?'
Ass-wipe.
The patronizing tone and stupid oaf-like smirk he wore irritated the hell out of me. Jerking my right knee up and leaving the other slack I snatched his collar and wrenched, slamming him into the mat. Nathan gave a yelp of surprise which I ignored while I leaned forward, about to slide into an easy shoulder lock.
Moving faster than I anticipated, he grabbed my wrists and yanked then flipped me over. Straight back to the beginning.
His arrogant snigger, accompanied by another shower of rank sweat, made my blood boil and for a second all I could see was red.
Knee to the groin, suggested the silly voice in my mind and the mental image of Nathan rolling about in agony on the mat almost made me grin.
Then the rational voice butted in sternly: Catherine, use what you were taught—no cheap shots.
Fine.
Flicking my hips up I unbalanced him enough to be able to wrap my legs snugly around his waist. The look of shock on his face amused me and I went with it, arching my eyebrow while smiling suggestively. Cheap shot…? Not if he fell for it. He didn’t register my intent until his head connected loudly with the mat. I smirked down at him.
With a wide smile our sensei called in a loud voice, 'Catherine wins!'
SIAN GLANCED UP in time to see Cat straighten to standing. She took her time, ignoring Nathan scowling on the ground, his face almost as red as Cat’s hair. With an indolent grace, Cat stepped over the prone man and walked to the bench seats to join their friend Kassie who’d finished in the last round of sparring. Chuckling to herself, Sian forgot the man beneath her own thighs, squirming uncomfortably face down against the mat.
'Hey!'
The indignant growl made Sian smile and she tightened her hold a hint more.
'Yes?'
The hold she had on Grant’s arm meant he couldn’t move, even though he really wanted to. Every time they sparred together they ended up in this position; funny how he still hasn’t figured out what it is he keeps doing wrong, Sian thought smugly. All Grant had to do was tap out. Then they’d separate and start again. But Grant hated to tap out. Maybe it’s small man syndrome, Sian pondered as she sighed and settled in for the long hold.
A couple of the guys sparring nearby began to laugh and sensei rolled his eyes at Sian, who grinned evilly.
KASSIE AND I watched in amusement from our sideline position while Grant grunted and groaned, legs flailing and head banging against the mat. Sian didn’t budge from her position and her petite size meant she easily kept out of reach of his legs. Though how he meant to hook her off that way, I didn’t know.
'Why do you think he gets so stubborn with her?' Kassie whispered in my ear. 'He acts normal with me.'
'I think it’s the tiny blonde aspect.'
'But I’m the same height.'
'With boobs and an attitude to boot. Sianny looks like a fairy in comparison. Tiny, adorable and blonde, I just don’t think he has the mentality to handle losing to her.'
We continued watching, along with most the others sitting out, many of them making bets against Grant. A loud thud and yelp from the other side diverted our attention.
'Laura wins! Making her this evening’s champion,' sensei crowed triumphantly. Kassie and I hollered, clapping for Loi.
Our friend climbed to her feet, accepting sensei’s congratulations with a flushed face, sweat gleaming on her brow. Her waist length ponytail swung forward when she bowed before leaving the mat and she flicked it back over her shoulder as she walked our way.
One of the guys sitting with us called teasingly, 'Watch out! Here comes the Amazon.'
Kassie snorted before glancing sideways at me. 'Ever seen an Amazon with a Scottish accent?'
I chuckled. At five foot eight with a figure like a fifties pin-up girl and beautiful long ebony hair, Loi certainly made people look twice. The Scottish accent only added to the appeal.
CAT HANDED HER a towel as she sat between her friends and Loi gratefully accepted it, mopping her face. She kept her gaze on those still sparring, her heart pounding from the exertion of her last fight.
'Well done, Loi.' Kassie reached under the bench then passed a drink bottle to her. 'All five, in under a minute each! Clever girl.'
Loi beamed at Kass before tipping her head back, bottle high. The water had warmed to room temperature but it still hit the spot. Her
heart rate slowed and she mopped her forehead again, slouching back against the wall.
In front of them Sian wore a stoic, bored expression as she swatted away another attempt by Grant to right himself. The utter disinterest on Sian’s face made Loi laugh and those around them joined in. Sensei stood near the pair, now the last on the mats, and crossed his arms with a long, suffering sigh. It took another five minutes and a sharp twist of the arm Sian held, before Grant finally tapped out. The class broke into applause, mainly relief, as Sian stepped daintily off the stocky figure and bowed to sensei.
AFTER SENSEI’S DEBRIEF, class was dismissed and the four of us walked to my jeep in the parking lot. Sian, Kass and I still wore our gi, not bothering to shower at the club when the shower in the house we rented together was so much nicer. Loi, however, lived in student accommodation, so she made the most of the free hot water at the gym and we were the last to leave the building before sensei. It always amazed me how she could fit her mass of locks into one of those hair turbans. Beeping the car alarm, I hopped in while Kassie released the front seat and climbed into the back, followed by Sian. Being just five-foot-tall meant both girls usually ended up in the back seat.
'I don’t look twenty-eight?'
The indignant question from Kassie made the three of us pause, exchanging confused glances.
'Who said you did?' Sian asked with an eyebrow arched.
Kassie scowled, her lower lip jutting out. 'Andrew. He keeps calling me old lady.'
I bit back a giggle. 'Kass, he’s a twenty-one-year-old kid and you keep beating him. He’s got to save face somehow.'
'Twenty-one is technically an adult,' Loi informed me in a pious tone.
I rolled my eyes at her. 'Males are three years behind in maturity levels, Loi. That makes him eighteen. You are very mature.'
Her brown eyes narrowed at me and in the rearview mirror I saw Kassie shake her head, laughing silently. One way to distract her, I thought in amusement. I guided the car down the car park ramp and onto the silent street, winding our way through the back streets so to avoid the usual Friday night traffic.
'IT’S PROBABLY BECAUSE you’re such a sweetie too, Kass,' Sian turned to wink at her.
Kassie blinked in surprise, forgetting her original complaint. 'What?'
'Andrew. He wouldn’t dream of trying it on Cat, Loi would squish him in a second and he still lives in hope that I’ll accept his dinner invite one day.' Sian pulled a baby doll expression, blue eyes large and guileless while she fluttered her lashes at Kassie.
In the front Loi snorted then twisted to look their way. 'Will you ever accept?'
'No! Yuck, no! I don’t date children.'
Cat laughed and Kassie had to smile at the sound of distaste in Sian’s voice. 'But you’ll let him buy you drinks when we bump into him at the clubs?'
'A girl’s got to drink,' Sian replied smugly.
'So he picks on me because I’m nice.' Kassie wrinkled her nose at the thought. 'That’s almost as bad as being called old.'
'Twenty-eight isn’t old,' Cat said before pausing, watching an intersection. She continued as they turned up the long road toward Loi’s apartment block. 'And we know just how tough you are. At least you get to shock the hell out of them when they try to pick on you.'
Kassie nodded in approval at that. 'Yes, let them pick on me. I’ll show them just how nice I am.'
LOI TUCKED A stray length of damp hair into her turban, smiling at Kassie’s comment. Personally she wondered if Andrew had the hots for Kassie too. Both girls were short but while Sian had a tiny petite figure, Kassie was endowed with a chest as big as Cat’s which looked a little out of place on her small frame. The two girls looked like day and night when they stood beside each other. Sian with her long blonde hair, blue eyes and girlish figure and then Kassie; a head full of bronze curls that when stretched reached mid back, gorgeous hazel eyes and obvious cheekbones thanks to her Malaysian heritage—plus a nice rack. Sometimes Loi felt like an uncouth giantess when she walked with her friends. At least Cat’s only a couple of inches shorter, she thought, glancing at her redheaded friend who frowned at a couple of jaywalking pedestrians.
'If you’re going to do that then hurry UP,' Cat growled impatiently.
I SAW LOI’S sideways glance at my grumble but chose to ignore it. Loi loved to tease me about my road-rage as she called it. A total exaggeration, I rarely felt the need to toot but that didn’t mean I couldn’t voice my opinion if people acted like idiots.
About to pull into the parking spaces in front of Loi’s building, I jumped when she exclaimed loudly. 'Oh!'
A quick check showed I wasn’t about to kill anyone or hit anything and I gave her a look as I pulled into a park.
'Sorry! I just realized I forgot to tell you guys, we’ve been invited to a costume party at Brad’s next weekend. He’s just graduated!'
Sian nodded while Kassie and I stared at one another via the mirror, both our expressions doubtful for a moment.
'Workmate?' I questioned tentatively.
'No, classmate,' Kassie said.
Loi gave us a look of exasperation. 'You met him last month, him and his girlfriend. He tutored me in bio.'
Oh, right. It clicked in my mind and I nodded along with Kassie.
'What’s the theme?' Sian butted in, eyes eager.
'Fantasy. Shall I pop over tomorrow morn? We can check out the store.'
Loi meant the second-hand shop we loved to frequent. I agreed along with the others and Loi climbed out, hand on turban, calling, 'Tomorrow then, I’ll be over at nine!'
Sian thumped on the inside of the window, hollering. 'Ten! Make it ten!'
Beside her, Kassie waved her arms frantically, also shouting. 'Ten!'
Loi winked at me as I held my thumb on the window lock and mouthed to her, 'Nine is perfect.'
CAT LAUGHED AS she pulled away from Loi’s building and Kassie settled back into her seat with a huff. 'Nine o’clock, on a Saturday? What is Loi thinking?'
'I don’t know. Suits me fine.'
Kassie glared at Cat via the rear-view mirror. 'Just because you have to get up to run your brat of a dog. Some of us like a sleep-in until a reasonable hour.'
'Like lunchtime,' Sian interjected, Kassie agreeing. Their Friday night jujitsu class finished at ten and after a long week of work, a sleep-in on Saturday was the thing Kassie looked forward to most. The downside with being a black belt, she thought dourly; all the lower belts had their classes earlier, the latest finishing at nine.
They pulled into the driveway of the one level house they rented. Sian made a grab for the automatic garage door remote and hit the button. The look of focus she wore while watching it rise made Kassie roll her eyes. Cat drove into the garage and Sian hit the button again, a tiny sound of satisfaction escaping her lips. What it takes to entertain some people, Kassie thought. Cat climbed out and opened their door, hitting the seat release before disappearing through the internal access door. Kassie followed.
She heard Cat reach the kitchen and open the back door, then the tap dancing sound of Audrey, Cat’s dog, charging around the kitchen in excitement. Kassie turned into her bedroom and flicked on the light. Curled up on her bed, Lucky, her beautiful tortoiseshell cat stretched out her forepaws and opened her mouth wide in a yawn, before leaping off the bed to purr around her ankles.
'Hello Lucky girl,' she cooed, bending to scoop the cat up, cuddling her. 'Keeping the bed warm for me?'
'Kass! Shower’s free,' Sian called from her room across the hallway. Setting the cat on the floor, Kassie grabbed her pajamas and headed for the bathroom.
'I LIKE TO MOVE IT MOVE IT. I LIKE TO MOVE IT MOVE IT.'
My detestable alarm blared and I scrambled to shut it up. Silencing it, I flopped back into bed, tempted to roll over and go back to sleep. A large furry lump wedged behind me, however, foiled that plan.
'Audrey,' I growled.
The bed quivered while Audi half wagged her tail and whined in contriti
on, she knew full well that the bed was out of bounds.
'Get off!'
She tumbled off the bed then did a silly frantic run around the room. I sat up and glared at her. Huntaways; they’re adorable dogs, very smart and loyal and the cutest puppies you’ll ever see, but neurotic. Casting another glare her way I climbed out of bed and found my running gear, making my way to the kitchen a few minutes later with Audi urging me on. Kassie was bent over the dishwasher when I entered, her head a mass of dark curls.
'Morning, early bird,' I drawled, grabbing a banana from the fruit bowl.
Her head snapped up at my entrance, hazel eyes just visible through her hair before she brushed it back. 'Cat, I thought you were out already?'
'Nope. Nearly though, I’ll be back by eight thirty so it should give me enough time to get ready.'
'It better! It’s all your fault I’m up at seven on a Saturday and I don’t want to have to wait around for you.' She gave me a steely look and ducked back toward her bedroom with Lucky draped around her shoulders. I wrinkled my nose at her retreating form. The two years between us occasionally felt like a decade, especially first thing in the morning. Audrey whined impatiently.
'Coming.' I swallowed the last of my banana and snatching her leash and my parka from the hook, clipped her on and off we went.
When we returned we found Sian occupying the kitchen, the frypan sizzling with bacon and the smell made my mouth water. I raced for the shower with my stomach rumbling. Audi disappeared to look for Lucky, her morning snuggle pal once Kassie vacated the bed. While rinsing my hair out, I heard Loi yell.
'Hellooo? Anyone up yet?'
I stepped out of the shower and hurriedly dried off and dressed then made my way to the kitchen, grabbed a plate and joined the others at the table.
An hour later and we trawled through the racks at the shop, holding anything of interest up so the others could comment.
'How bout this?'
The Arrival Page 1